Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, known for iconic films like Satya, Company, and Sarkar, expressed his concerns about the current trend of making mythological movies in India.
Varma described it as "dangerous" to tackle such sensitive subjects, suggesting that these films often invite controversy and may not perform well at the box office.
When asked about the upcoming Ramayan trilogy starring Ranbir Kapoor, Varma didn't mince words.
He said, "It's very dangerous to make films on mythological stories. There are two reasons for this–the stories are well-known to people, and any attempt to present them differently can have a negative impact. In our country, people worship these characters." He emphasized that while mythological films like Babubhai Mistry's Sampoorna Ramayana and NT Rama Rao's works were successful in the past, the current social and media climate makes such projects more challenging. "Maybe there was not so much polarization or social media constantly challenging people's interpretations back then," he added.
Varma pointed to Om Raut's Adipurush as an example, noting the film's heavy criticism, particularly regarding Saif Ali Khan's and Hanuman's appearances. He commented, "Because of all this constant opinionated criticism, it is very dangerous to take topics from that shelf. Nevertheless, these filmmakers are putting in their efforts and I wish them all the best."
The director also suggested an alternative approach for filmmakers aiming to attract a younger audience unfamiliar with these mythological tales.
He advised against explicitly labeling the films as adaptations of revered stories like Ramayana. "Why not create a new story and not call it Ramayana? If you market Adipurush as a Prabhas film, people will perceive it differently. But if it's labeled as Ramayana, expectations and scrutiny will be different. Why touch a sensitive topic when you can present it as something entirely new and avoid the backlash?" he said.
Adipurush faced significant backlash upon release due to its dialogues by Manoj Muntashir and its visual effects. Despite the makers revising the dialogues post-release, the damage had already been done.